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Updated: Aug 17, 2026
High Throughput Microfluidic Rapid and Low Cost Prototyping Packaging Methods
Published on: December 23, 2013
Engineering low-fouling and pH-degradable capsules through the assembly of metal-phenolic networks
Yi Ju1, Jiwei Cui, Markus Müllner
1ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, and the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Melbourne , Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
Abstract:
Metal-phenolic coordination chemistry provides a simple and rapid way to fabricate ultrathin films. Here, we report a facile strategy for the preparation of low-fouling and pH-degradable metal-phenolic network (MPN) capsules using a synthetic polyphenol derivative, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-polyphenol, as a building block. PEG-MPN capsules exhibit reduced nonspecific protein adsorption and cell association compared with tannic acid (TA)-MPN capsules. In addition, they show faster disassembly at a biologically relevant pH (5) than TA-MPN capsules (80% in 5 h vs 30% in 10 days). PEG-MPN capsules combine both the low fouling properties of PEG and the advantages of the MPN-driven assembly process (e.g., fast assembly and pH-degradability).
